Harry Mulisch

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I really enjoyed the Assault, and am wondering about its historical context and accuracy... is the treatment the various characters received plausable?

>>By Smile2424   (Saturday, 25 Jan 2003 19:17)



I need to know the effect of the past on Anton, if anyone can help me

>>By Heather   (Saturday, 25 Jan 2003 19:17)



Does anyone have any "The Assault" chapter summaries? it would be a great help. e-mail at: sailorspice56@hotmail.com

>>By Julie   (Saturday, 25 Jan 2003 19:17)



Something that strikes me, and it gets stronger the more I read and the better I know Mulisch (although 'know' is quite a big word), is how manipulative he is. As a reader you have no choice but to go in with the characters. He is pulling the strings as an omnipotent author, and he has you feel it quite consciously, even if they characters aren't aware of this - although sometimes they are ...
Mulisch obviously likes this power, and he likes to flirt with danger and darkness. It's not always very clear, but sometimes he just throws it in your face. The Discovery of Heaven is a brilliant example of this. He rules his literary world just like God rules the universe. I don't know how it's translated in English, but by the angels God is called the 'Chef' (I'd say the 'Chief'). In another book of his we read that this was the name Hitler was called by his subordinates.

Things work strangely in Mulisch' world. For me one thing is clear: his work is to be enjoyed and read with a conscious eye, but something about him/it is not to be trusted. He will manipulate and use his reader simply because he likes to.
It takes great skill, though, to put it on paper in such a way that everybody loves it ...

>>By Aywin   (Monday, 24 Nov 2003 16:22)



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